The Porsche 997 – a hard act to follow

With all the interest over the new Porsche 991, it would be easy to overlook the current Porsche 911 – the 997. But we shouldn’t, as it is one of the all-time great 911s, combining as it does superb looks (with a hint of 993) and fantastic handling and performance.

The question many are asking, though, is what effect the new 991 will have on prices of 997s. A good question and not an easy one to answer. My feeling is that nearly new 997s will be hard to sell, as buyers will argue that they can put a few thousand more down and buy a brand-new 991 – and who could blame them?

Older 997s, on the other hand, shouldn’t be affected by the launch of the new Porsche 991, as they are in a completely different market – someone with £30,000 to £40,000 to spend on a car aren’t in a position to be tempted by a brand new one at double that price.

So if you can’t afford a brand-new 911, don’t despair – the 997 is a superb car and excellent value for money. As ever, though, ensure that you buy a good example – the 997’s been around long enough for there to be some tired and poorly maintained ones out there.

Take a look at this superbly maintained Carrera Cabriolet I have in stock – a sweet car if ever I saw one.